Microphone



S.-D. HOUPT. Microphone. No. 240,416. Patented April 19,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT Oriana.

SAMUEL D. HOUPT, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

MICROPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,416, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed August 26, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. HOUPT, of Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Microphones or Telephonic Transmitters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which, form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in microphones or telephonic transmit ters, and it has forits object to produce louder and more distinct articulation at the receiving-instrument thanhas heretofore been accomplished; and to this end the invention consists in a concavo convex mouth piece, composed of carbon in any of its various forms, suitably mounted, in combination with a yielding contactmaker, constructed of similar material, the mouth-piece serving the combined purposes of the ordinary mouth piece and diaphragm employed in telephonic transmitters.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the mouth-piece and contactmaker, of certain improvements in the mechanism for adjusting the contactmaker relatively to the mouth-piece, as more fully hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional View of my improvement, and Fig. 2a view showing the parts in detail.

The letter A indicates a box or frame supporting the various parts of the apparatus.

The letter B indicates the mouth piece, against which the sound-waves are directed, and which is composed of lamp-black, carbon, graphite, plumbago, or other similar electrical conducting material, suitably consolidated.

Said medium is preferably in the form of a2 concavo-convex disk, suitably mounted andsecured in an opening, 0, in the box or frame. A, with the concave side outward or toward; the point from which the sound-waves proceed.

The letter 1) indicates a contact-maker bean;

Fig. 1, against the convex side of the same.

Said contact-maker is composed of conducting material similar to that of the mouth-piece, and is suitably mounted to one end of a metallic spring, E, or otherwise arranged so as to bear with a yielding pressure against the said disk. The spring E is adjustably mounted upon a bent spring, F, attached to the box or frame A, the said spring F being also provided with an adjusting device, G, at its free end, whereby the contact-maker may be adjusted with respect to the mouth-piece. The object of the adjusting device of the spring E is to enable said spring to be readily moved back or forth, so as to bring the contact-maker to bear directly upon the center of the concavoconvex mouth piece and hold itin such position. It is evident, however, that other means of adjusting the contact-maker may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. The springFis in metallic connection with a flat spring, H, which is so located that the switch K may be brought in contact with it to throw the contact-maker in circuit. The mouthpiece is connected, by means of a wire, L, with one pole of a battery, M, the other pole of which is connected, by means of a wire, N, with the primary circuit of an induction-coil, O, the said primary circuit of the coil being connected, by means of a wire, P, with the switch K.

Theletters R S represent the line and ground wires proceeding from the secondary circuit of the coil to the receiving-instrument at a distant station.

The letter A indicates the telephonic call, which is composed of a contact maker and breaker, 13, consisting of a suitable block or disk of lamp-black, carbon, graphite, plumbago, or other conducting material similar to that of the sound transmitting disk. Said contact maker and breaker is mounted on one end of a metallic spring, 0, secured to a metallic lever, D, pivoted in standards E, secured to a metallic plate, F, attached to the frame or box A. The said lever is held in a normal position by means of a spring, G, and is provided with a pin, H, extending through the frame or box A, and having a push-button, I, at its outer end, by means of which the lever may be operated to throw the contact maker and breaker into'and out of contact with the soundtransmitting disk. The lever D, through its plate F, is in electrical connection with a metallic spring, H into contact With which the switch K can be brought, so as to throw the contact-breaker into circuit With the sound-transmitting disk, coil, and battery.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connection with the above description Without further explanation.

I am aware that springs forming or carrying one electrode constantly pressing upon the other electrode to maintain the required initial pressure are old, and, also, an adjustable spring-support carrying an electrode spring, and such I do not therefore claim, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, What Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a microphone or telephonic transmitter, the coneavo-convex mouth-piece, constructed of carbon, and suitably mounted, in

combination with a yielding contact-maker composed of similar material, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the eoncavo-convex mouth-piece of a microphone or telephonic transmitter, said mouth-piece being constructed of carbon and forming one electrode, the spring E, carrying the contact-maker, adjustably secured to an adjustable spring, F, Whereby the contact-maker may be adjusted to bear exactly upon the center of the mouth-piece with the proper initial pressure, substantially as specified. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of August, 187 9.

S. D. HOUPT.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. HARPER, S. J. SIDDALL. 

